Mr Cannonier must still face a leadership election process within the OBA, and until that process takes place, Leah Scott, the Deputy Leader, will serve as Acting OBA Leader.

Barring any change of plans, we will have live video of the ceremony — which is set to take place at around 10.30am this morning — on Bernews Facebook page, and we will also update this article with the video.

This will mark a return to leadership for Mr Cannonier, who previously served as the Opposition Leader, and then the Premier, stepping down amidst the ‘JetGate’ matter in 2014, and we take a look at the timeline of his political career below.

February 2010 | Elected BDA Leader:

He was elected leader of the now-defunct Bermuda Democratic Alliance, winning 157-38 over Myron Piper. The party later dissolved and merged with the UBP to become the OBA.

May 2011 | Appointed OBA Senator:

Following the formation of the OBA in May 2011, Mr Cannonier was appointed to the Senate, a position he held for six months.

September 2011 | Elected OBA Leader:

Mr Cannonier was elected by party members as the OBA Leader, receiving 344 votes [50.44%], while Bob Richards received 330 votes [48.52%].

November 2011 | Elected As OBA MP:

After John Barritt stepped down in C#12 Devonshire South Central — which is considered a safe seat — Mr Cannonier won the by-election, marking his entry into the House of Assembly.

December 2012 | Becomes Premier:

Mr Cannonier becomes Premier after the OBA won the election, with the party earning a 19-17 victory at the polls.

May 2014 | Resigns as Premier:

After seventeen months in the position, he steps down as Premier following the JetGate controversy, and remained an OBA backbencher.

January 2015 | Appointed To Cabinet:

Mr Cannonier was appointed as Minister of Public Works, a position he held until the OBA lost the election two and half years later.

July 2017 | Retains Seat in General Election:

Mr Cannonier retained his seat in the General Election, however moved from being a Cabinet Minister to an Opposition MP as the PLP won the election 24 – 12.

November 2017 | Places 3rd In OBA Leadership Election

In the OBA’s internal Party Leader election, he earns 28.6% of the vote, as compared to Patricia Gordon-Pamplin’s 34%, and Jeanne Atherden’s winning percentage of 37.3%.

September 2018 | Gains Support of Majority of OBA MPs

Following internal party discussions, Mr Cannonier gains the support of 8 of the 11 elected MPs, who ask the Governor to appoint him as Opposition Leader, replacing Jeanne Atherden.

Update 10.50am: Live video replay of the ceremony

Update 11.15am: We are working on transcribing Mr Cannonier’s comments now, but as a simplified summary he thanked his family for their support and thanked his colleagues. He acknowledged his “colourful” political career, and apologized for his “error in judgment” over the Jetgate matter.

Update 11.23am: To start his speech today, Mr Cannonier said, “I would like to thank my family for their unending support, and to my colleagues, for having the confidence in me and asking me to assume the role of Opposition Leader

“Thus far, all of you know that my political career has been very colorful, hasn’t it. I’ve experienced the good, the bad, and even the ugly part of politics, the thrill of victory, and, of course, the pain and agony of defeat, the realities of public service.

“The greatest low was after having been given advice, I took a flight on a private jet plane,” he said. “In my naivety, I made the error, an error of judgment. And for this, Bermuda, I humbly apologize. To you, my family, for the difficult time that I provided you, something you didn’t ask for. To my colleagues, I apologize.

“I was taught from a young man, from my mother, coming along down at St. Davids, that if you fall, the greatest thing that you can do for yourself is to get up. I was taught, coming along by the church, that when you fall, you must get up. Learn from it and chart a new course. And so I stand before you, a humbled man, an experienced politician, yet with a clear conscience.”

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Comments (60)

To all Born Bermudians: Even if the oba changes its name, its blatant and vicious history STANDS. New members on board, new philosophies applied,it does NOT MATTER. Bermuda’s racial history stems from the viciousness, the callousness and the non-meaning of slavery. Observe those who came to Bermuda as soon as the oba swung nto powqer. The root of their behaviours are entrenched in and coming from slavery. A true and honest change MUST occur for all to be on an oba page. The future appears to be quite bleak at this precious time.

I agree with you fully on this. They really think they are going to fool people again with putting up black faces. With cannonair ws their leader, they have ensured the PLP will be in power for a very long time, and I love it…

They will never win again in your life time and that coming from someone that voted for UBP and later OBA. You will never convince a certain segment of Bermuda to swing votes. Point taken from last election.

People in the UBP called the PLP racist, but it’s the majority of black Bermudians that swing votes from UBP/OBA to PLP. The only reason why the UBP and OBA won over the years!!

The only a small group of white Bermudians swing to PLP and the truth be heard… when we do our own race stops speaking to us….and we than call the PLP racist because we lost which is wrong!!!!!!

How many times must it be pointed out that the block of voters who only have or ever will vote PLP is far larger than than the block who support anyone else ? But it’s whites that get called racist .. lol Of course numerically there’s going to be more black swing voters than white but stop trying to make it sound like it’s some sort of miracle .

The funny thing about it is, is that the voting dynamics in Bermuda mirror that largely of the US. That being the majority demographic has the ability to vote for both Parties as they both have to pander to them given their overall numbers.

The minority populations in the US vote overwhelmingly for one Party as the other option isn’t really a viable option given the disdain that the former tends to have towards the latter.

Hence, one segment of the population tends to be able to be so called ‘swing vote.’ Bermuda is really no different when it comes to this issue, although some will outright deny the hostility shown towards one segment by one political Party and its supporters towards the minority.

Just look at several of the comments in this thread alone where the posters use the dog whistle term ‘Born Bermudians.’ This term is being used to insinuate only black people can be ‘real Bermudians.’

As I said the voting patterns locally are due by and large to the same issues with the local political organisations as is the case in the US. And why would the current ruling Party change the tactics when it serves them so well in terms of achieving power. It is what it is and it won’t change anytime soon unfortunately. Power means everything to some.

If your argument is there are more swing voters in the Black community, then that supports my argument I’ve saying all along that through History as a people we have been socially conditioned to believe the falsehood that white is superior and Black is inferior. Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome.

Hope you didn’t spend too much of your time thinking up that nonsense. Judging from the venom spewing from your thoughts about the OBA, can I assume that you’re a dye in the wool PLP supporter? If so, why would you say “the future is bleak…”? The PLP have at least 4 more years in office and the OBA is house divided.

The majority of us agree that Slavery was and is immoral.

They are by no means perfect, but to state that the OBA’s “behaviors are entrenched” in slavery is not only false but ridiculously laughable.

OBA needs to rebuild from the bottom up, not the top down! Also, UBP old-guard politicians must resign to the fact that their continued presence is NOT a plus, but a liability for the Party. I agree with the comments made by Nick Kemp

When will Bermudians stop this childish confrotation ? we need to think what is best for Bermuda…..not what past so called ministers did or said, it is time to stop the confrontation and do what is right for all BERMUDIANS.

You may be correct but you have side-stepped the question. No matter what your party preference or affiliation is it does not excuse double standards or being a hypocrite. So far nobody has been able to answer my question!!

Prior to the last election, the Milkman said “your turn is coming”. And the new leader of the OBA, stated during the last Budget debate on the floor of the House, “What about me!!”. Those swing voters are still waiting for their turn. Politicians, good or dad, take care of the “fat-Cat’s” first, and them-selves second in the process. The OBA paid for their misdeeds, let ‘s see if the swing vote will be as generous and forgetful in the next election.

That’s because you have the privilege of both parties accepting you as being a Bermudian and landers for your vote. As the commentator noted above the same reason that minorities in the US vote overwhelmingly for one party is the same reason Bermudas does the same. That reason being that the other party hates them and has no qualms about making it known.

Time for yet another name change, not at all a good move for the OBA cements the PLPs position for a long time to come, and why didn’t anyone tell the guy on the left photographs were going to be taken!

In my opinion, Cannonier is going to cause a lot of supporters to give up on the OBA. This is not a good move.

We do not still have all the answers to JETGATE! Who advised him and why was his private business manager in GOVERNMENT MEETINGS? Was he given bad advice on that? When will we know why Thad Hollis resigned? The OBA ran on a campaign of Honesty, Trust and Integrity. Does Craig Cannonier extol these qualities? He admitted himself that he had been “less than transparent”. If the answer to the above is no, then SHAME on those 8 MP’s who anointed their leader. You may have done us all a great disservice.

PLP patt people give me a break please. You all have the nerve to talk about Mr Cannonier look in your backyard. Who has done the utmost. So much to say about them where can I start. Do not get me started on Burgess, Zane, pastor Bean to name a few. Get rid of your own baggage then you can talk. The nerve……….

It’s interesting how the spotlight is on Craig Cannonier when the “Jetgate” saga involved 2 lawyers, one the AG, on the same flight. They couldn’t see the conflict? The same two persons who were in the forefront of the gambling issue, who cancelled the referendum on gambling and forced the vote of no confidence? More than just coincidence. The OBA was dead from the start and from the inside.